Georgia vs. South Carolina: Mark Richt's Last Stand?

The date was September 27th.

The year was 2008.

The time was 8:00PM.

As the nation's No. 3 team, the Georgia Bulldogs seemed poised to trounce the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide en route to their first National Championship in nearly 30 years.

With his team suited up in their black jerseys playing in front of a raucous sold out crowd at Sanford Stadium, head coach Mark Richt must have thought this game would finally earn Georgia the national attention he had craved since his arrival in 2001.

In this sense, he succeeded.

Watching a formerly invincible Georgia side fall behind 31-0 at halftime, the national football audience paid very close attention.  Was head coach Nick Saban's Crimson Tide actually that good or was Georgia way overrated?

Ultimately, the answer doesn't matter.

While Richt would rally the troops at halftime and lead them to a more respectable 41-30 loss, the damage was done.  The Mark Richt Bulldogs would never be the same.

Having compiled an impressive 65-19 record prior to the loss, the crestfallen Bobby Bowden disciple has mustered only 20 wins from his following 35 games.  During this two-and-a-half year period, Georgia's only victory against a ranked opponent came in a 2009 triumph over then No. 7 Georgia Tech.

Meanwhile, Saban's Alabama teams have marched to a cool 32-5 record following their unforeseen dominance over the Dawgs.  Collecting both an SEC Championship and BCS National Championship in the 2009-2010 season, Bama is largely regarded as the nation's premier college football program.

After the Dawgs blew their shot at national redemption by falling 35-21 to a characteristically over-ranked Boise State team in the Chick-fil-a College Kickoff, Bulldog Nation is already gearing up for another mediocre season.

Yet with Steve Spurrier bringing his No. 12 Gamecocks to Athens on Saturday, Richt still has one final chance to capture the hearts of his supporters.

A convincing win over the SEC East Division favorites would put Georgia in pole position to qualify for the SEC Championship.  Somehow dodging No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Alabama, and No. 14 Arkansas, the Red & Black would essentially need only defeat hated No. 18 Florida to secure a berth in the Championship game.

However, a loss to the Gamecocks would be devastating.  Already disillusioned by the team's meteoric demise over the past two seasons, supporters would be crushed by another defeat to a once inferior team.  With such a favorable SEC schedule, fans would never forgive Richt for blowing a golden opportunity to return to the Georgia Dome on more favorable terms.

With (eventual) termination the punishment for a Georgia loss on Saturday, the Bulldog's home opener should be named, "Richt's Last Stand".

Perhaps in a moment of complete desperation he might discover the spark of divine brilliance to reverse the devastation of September 27, 2008.

If not, I'm sure I won't be the only one linking an unnamed Alabama defensive coordinator to the Georgia head coaching position.

Michael Thomas is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia.